Conventional hybrids remain the best-selling alternative-fuel vehicles

Sales of alternative-fuel vehicles grew by 38% in the second four-month period of 2017.

The automotive industry is changing. Cars powered by alternative energies are starting to take market share from petrol and, above all, diesel cars, whose image has been weakened by the dieselgate scandal and the growing restrictions they face in urban centres. It is a fact: vehicles labelled “eco-friendly” now account for an ever-larger share of the market, but what is their real magnitude?

Sales of alternative-fuel vehicles (AFV) have grown considerably in the second four-month period of 2017. What kinds of cars do we include in this category?

1. Plug-in electric vehicles (ECV, Electric Chargeable Vehicle): this includes battery electric vehicles (BEV) and plug-in hybrids (PHEV).

2. Hybrids (HEV, Hybrid Electric Vehicle)

3. Natural gas vehicles (NGV)

4. Liquefied petroleum gas cars (LPG)

5. Ethanol-powered cars.

Alternative-fuel car sales rise by 38%

According to data compiled by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, AFV registrations rose by 38% in the second four-month period of the year compared with the same period last year. So far this year, up to 204,502 alternative-fuel vehicles have been sold in Europe, raising their market share to 5.1%. ECVs accounted for 1.2% of total passenger car sales.

As the chart above shows, hybrids increased their sales by 61.1% compared with last year, while plug-in electric vehicles (ECV) grew by 45.8%; within this figure, the 49.5% growth of 100% electric cars stands out. Registrations of cars running on other fuels have grown somewhat more steadily (3.3%), driven largely by a 23.7% rise in sales of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) vehicles.

Electric car sales in Europe have risen by 45.8% this year.

Conventional hybrid vehicles remain the best-sellers

Of the 204,502 alternative-fuel vehicles sold in Europe in 2017, more than half are conventional hybrids (HEV), with 102,609 units sold, of which 14,222 were registered in Spain. The rest of the pie is shared by the other categories as follows:

• Plug-in hybrids (PHEV): 26,731 units in total / 746 units in Spain
• 100% electric cars (BEV): 22,047 units in total / 678 units in Spain
• Natural gas vehicles: 51,944 units in total / 903 units in Spain

Which markets have sold the most alternative-fuel cars?

Interestingly, among the markets that have grown the most in this segment is Spain, with an 80.7% increase in alternative-fuel vehicle sales compared with last year. Germany has grown the most in this respect, with 91.9% growth.